The geodesic dome structure first invented by Buckminister Fuller had been accepted as a novel method of building shelter structures. With few exceptions, the geodesic domes are built of tubular or bar type structural members assembled in triangular or hexagonal networks. Any knowledgable structural engineers can tell that the geodesic dome structures exclussively using tubular or bar type structural members are not the most economic method to build a dome structure, for the construction materials are not used in the form of optimized structural shape and are not assembled into the structurally optimized configuration. It is well known fact that the honeycomb structure provides one of the strongest and most rigid panel structures which are highly effective against perpendicular loadings, because the material is used to create the maximum thickness in the construction of the honeycomb panel. In conventional honeycomb panels, the honeycomb structure is sandwiched between a pair of thin sheets or plates bonded thereto. The honeycomb structure sandwiched between two layers of a truss network provides a strength comparable to the honeycomb structure sandwiched between two plates.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a hexagonal network of honeycomb shell structures sandwiched between a pair of triangular networks of the geodesic structure.
Another object is to provide a geodesically reinforced honeycomb shell structure including a hexagonal network of elongated structural members having a cross section of large inertia of moment, wherein each hexagonal subassembly is reinforced with a first set of reinforcing elongated structural members arranged in a triangular pattern with three corners respectively connected to the first set of three alternate corners of the hexagonal subassembly, and is further reinforced by the second set of reinforcing elongated structural members arranged in a triangular pattern with three corners respectively connected to the other set of three alternate corners of the hexagonal subassembly.
A further object is to provide a geodesically reinforced honeycomb shell structure wherein the first network of said reinforcing triangular subassemblies is disposed substantially flush to one surface of the honeycomb shell and the second network of said reinforcing triangular subassemblies is dsiposed substantially flush to the other surface of the honeycomb shell.
Yet another object is to provide a geodesically reinforced honeycomb shell structure including said first and second networks of reinforcing triangular subassemblies which are disposed substantially on a plane including the middle plane of the honeycomb shell.
Yet further object is to provide a geodesically reinforced honeycomb shell structure including a network of hexagonal subassemblies reinforced by single network of reinforcing triangular subassemblies.
Still another object is to provide a connector that interconnects three elongated structural members constituting hexagonal subassemblies and six reinforcing elongated structural members constituting reinforcing triangular subassemblies in a radiating pattern.
Still a further object is to provide a universal connector interconnecting honeycomb structural members and geodesic reinforcing structural members, which connector is usable for geodesically reinforced honeycomb shell structures of different curvatures.
These and other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.